Novembre 2024 - Volume XLIII - numero 9
L'aria che tira
Istituto di Bioscienze e Biorisorse, CNR, Napoli
Indirizzo per corrispondenza: roberto.defez@gmail.com
Key words: Food alarms, Contaminated foodstuffs, Food-related anxieties
Food product advertising bombards the consumer with alarming information and tends to blame them, by making them responsible for putting their children, grandchildren and relatives at risk when purchasing products that ignore the warnings of advertising. However, these are just advertisements, they are not medical warnings or technical evaluations and they are almost never disinterested warnings. Indeed, they are mainly disguised commercial wars. Numerous examples tend to pair an image of extreme and easily avoidable risk with a food component. The first suggestion is to consult the European Union portal for rapid alerts on foodstuffs at risk. Italy is present in many cases as a source or as a receiver of contaminated foodstuffs. Despite media pressure, scientific evaluations show that some advertised risks, such as palm oil and traces of glyphosate, may not be so harmful as portrayed. The media tends to prioritize alarming news over reassuring information, impacting public perception and spreading fear. Technical bodies like EFSA and ECHA have provided evidence that challenges popular beliefs and sensationalized narratives. It is essential to assess information critically and avoid instilling unnecessary fears in children and youngsters, as this may lead to a variety of health issues and food-related anxieties.
La pubblicità dei prodotti alimentari spesso diffonde informazioni allarmistiche, colpevolizzando i consumatori e suggerendo che rischiano di danneggiare la salute dei propri cari con scelte alimentari sbagliate. Tuttavia, queste non sono vere e proprie avvertenze sanitarie, ma strumenti di marketing legati a guerre commerciali. Ad esempio, si tende ad associare un rischio esagerato ad alcuni ingredienti come l’olio di palma o tracce di glifosato. Nonostante l’allarmismo dei media, le valutazioni scientifiche, come quelle dell’EFSA, mostrano che alcuni di questi rischi potrebbero essere meno gravi di quanto pubblicizzato. È importante essere critici nei confronti delle informazioni diffuse dai media, evitando di instillare paure infondate nei bambini e nei giovani, poiché questo potrebbe portare a problemi di salute mentale e ansia legati al cibo.
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